Basketball

Coach Rollie Massimino of Nevada Las Vegas, struggling through a 14-12 season and anemic fan support, says he is not interested in moving to Providence if the coaching job opens at the Rhode Island school.

A report by KVBC-TV in Las Vegas had indicated that Massimino would be a prime candidate to replace Rick Barnes, should Barnes take the job opening at Clemson.

Acknowledging that officials misapplied a rule in the closing seconds of the game, NBA Commissioner David Stern nevertheless turned down a protest filed by Charlotte last month after a 105-101 overtime loss to Cleveland, saying the mistake didn’t have a clear impact on the outcome.

Stanley Jackson of the Minnesota Timberwolves was suspended for Tuesday night’s game against the Utah Jazz and fined $5,000 for a flagrant foul in Sunday’s game at Denver.

John Paxson returned to the injured list to rest his sore left knee, and guard Jo Jo English was signed by the Chicago Bulls to a 10-day contract. . . . Lorenzo Williams signed with the Dallas Mavericks for the rest of the season. . . . The Miami Heat said it would sign Morlon Wiley, who played at Long Beach State, to a 10-day contract to replace Bimbo Coles, who suffered a dislocated left index finger in Monday night’s game against Boston.

Football

A Texas A&M; booster, David Toronjo, improperly contacted Daunte Hill, an Aggie recruit, less than a month after the NCAA had put the athletic department on probation for a scandal involving another booster, according to a report published in the Bryan-College Station Eagle.

Wally Groff, A&M;’s athletic director, said the incident was reported to Southwest Conference and NCAA officials.

Linebacker Carl Banks and wide receiver Tim McGee were released by the Washington Redskins in order for the team to remain under the salary cap after signing former Phoenix Cardinal linebacker Ken Harvey. . . . The Buffalo Bills traded cornerback James Williams to the Phoenix Cardinals for a draft choice.

Miscellany

The Winnipeg Jets and Detroit Red Wings traded goaltenders, Bob Essensa and defenseman Sergei Bautin going to the Red Wings for Tim Cheveldae and center Dallas Drake.

Mohammed Issangar of Morocco upset world champion Ismael Kirui in the 5,000-meter run at the DN Games track and field meet in Stockholm. Issangar won in 13 minutes 26.84 seconds, finishing 5.06 seconds ahead of Kirui.

Mike Lude announced he is stepping down as Auburn’s athletic director at 71. . . . Suffering from a back injury, golfer Fred Couples withdrew from the defense of his title in the Honda Classic at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. . . . Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes won a unanimous decision over Garing Lane in a 10-round bout at Ledyard, Conn. . . . Charlie Boulding led the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to the checkpoint at Nikolai, Alaska, 300 miles into the 1,100-mile race to Nome.